Stroke: Recovery https://greenmedinfo.com/taxonomy/term/11148/all en 123 patients with stroke in inpatient rehabilitation; amount of occupational therapy received contributed significantly to gains in functional independence Measure https://greenmedinfo.com/article/123-patients-stroke-inpatient-rehabilitation-amount-occupational-therapy-recei PMID:  Disabil Rehabil. 2012 Apr 23. Epub 2012 Apr 23. PMID: 22524794 Abstract Title:  Inpatient rehabilitation following stroke: amount of therapy received and associations with functional recovery. Abstract:  Purpose: Canada&#039;s Best Practice Recommendations for Stroke Care state that a minimum of one hour per day of each of the relevant core therapies be provided to patients admitted for inpatient rehabilitation. We examined whether this standard was met on a single, specialized stroke rehabilitation unit and if amount of therapy was an independent contributor to functional improvement. Methods: One-hundred and twenty-three, consecutive patients admitted to a 30-bed stroke rehabilitation program over a 6-month period with the confirmed diagnosis of stroke, were included. Workload measurement data were used to estimate the amount of therapy that patients received from core therapists during their inpatient stay. A multivariable model to predict Functional Independence Measure (FIM) gains achieved was also developed using variables that were significantly correlated with functional gain on univariate analysis. Results: On average, patients received 37 min of active therapy from both physiotherapists (PT) and occupational therapists (OT) and 13 min from speech-language pathologists per day. Admission FIM, length of stay, total OT and PT therapy time (hrs) were significantly correlated with FIM gain. In the final model, which explained 35% of the variance, admission FIM score and total amount of occupational therapy (OT) emerged as significant predictors of FIM gain. Conclusions: Patients admitted to a specialized rehabilitation unit received an average of 37 min a day engaged in therapeutic activities with both occupational and physical therapists. Although this value did not reach the standard of one hour, total amount of OT time contributed significantly to gains in FIM points during hospital stay. [Box: see text]. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/123-patients-stroke-inpatient-rehabilitation-amount-occupational-therapy-recei#comments Stroke: Recovery Neurorestorative Occupational Therapy Human Study Tue, 29 May 2012 01:03:23 +0000 greenmedinfo 76286 at https://greenmedinfo.com Abdominal electroacupuncture has a definite therapeutic effect on poststroke constipation, accelerating gastrointestinal movement.Abdominal electroacupuncture has a therapeutic effect on poststroke constipation, accelerating gastrointestinal movement. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/abdominal-electroacupuncture-has-definite-therapeutic-effect-poststroke-consti PMID:  Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2008 Jan;28(1):7-9. PMID: 18257178 Abstract Title:  [Clinical observation on abdominal electroacupuncture for treatment of poststroke constipation]. Abstract:  OBJECTIVE: To compare therapeutic effects of abdominal electroacupuncture (EA) and western medicine on poststroke constipation. METHODS: Eighty cases were randomly divided into an EA group and a medication group, 40 cases in each group. The EA group were treated with EA at Daheng (SP 15), Fujie (SP 14), Tianshu (ST 25), Shuidao (ST 28), etc., once a day, 30 min each session, and the medication group with oral administration of 10 mg Cisapride, thrice each day. Seven days constituted one course. After 2 courses, clinical therapeutic effects were evaluated by cumulative scores of symptoms. RESULTS: The total effective rate of 92.5% in the EA group was significantly better than 72.5% in the medication group (P https://greenmedinfo.com/article/abdominal-electroacupuncture-has-definite-therapeutic-effect-poststroke-consti#comments Constipation Stroke: Recovery Human Study Wed, 13 Jan 2010 04:09:04 +0000 greenmedinfo 48946 at https://greenmedinfo.com Acupressure treatment results in a significantly faster and greater in blood pressure in patients being treated conventionally following a stroke. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/acupressure-treatment-results-significantly-faster-and-greater-blood-pressure- PMID:  Complement Ther Med. 2010 Feb;18(1):42-8. Epub 2010 Feb 6. PMID: 20178877 Abstract Title:  Cardiovascular benefits of acupressure (Jin Shin) following stroke. Abstract:  OBJECTIVES: Acupressure, a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatment, uses fingertips, rather than needles, to stimulate acupoints on the skin and has been implicated as a successful treatment for a variety of medical disorders. However, acupressure&#039;s underlying mechanisms remain unclear. One theory is that acupoint stimulation modulates autonomic nervous system activity. Previous studies have suggested that acupressure may positively affect heart rate and blood pressure. The current study investigated the effects of a type of acupressure, Jin Shin, on cardiovascular function in stroke survivors, a population that could especially benefit from a treatment promoting cardiovascular health. The study tested the hypothesis that active acupressure treatments would reduce heart rate and blood pressure (i.e., induce a greater relaxation response) above and beyond that seen during placebo acupressure treatments. METHODS: A randomised, placebo-controlled, single-blind crossover design was utilised, in which 16 participants received 8 weeks of either active or placebo acupressure followed by washout and crossover into the opposite treatment condition. Heart rate and blood pressure measurements were taken throughout treatments. RESULTS: Active acupressure treatments were associated with a significantly greater (p=.043, eta(2)=.30) and faster (p=.002, eta(2)=.76) reduction in heart rate compared to that seen during placebo treatments. No treatment effect on blood pressure was found. CONCLUSIONS: Active acupressure reduced heart rate significantly more than did placebo acupressure during treatments. Although no treatment effect on blood pressure was found, this could be due to 67% of participants taking antihypertensive medications during the study. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/acupressure-treatment-results-significantly-faster-and-greater-blood-pressure-#comments Hypertension Stroke: Recovery Acupressure Human Study Wed, 10 Nov 2010 14:04:32 +0000 greenmedinfo 58575 at https://greenmedinfo.com Curcumin improves outcomes and attenuates focal cerebral ischemic injury. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/curcumin-improves-outcomes-and-attenuates-focal-cerebral-ischemic-injury PMID:  Neurochem Res. 2010 Mar;35(3):374-9. Epub 2009 Sep 23. PMID: 19774461 Abstract Title:  Curcumin improves outcomes and attenuates focal cerebral ischemic injury via antiapoptotic mechanisms in rats. Abstract:  Curcumin, a member of the curcuminoid family of compounds, is a yellow colored phenolic pigment obtained from the powdered rhizome of C. longa Linn. Recent studies have demonstrated that curcumin has protective effects against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. However, little is known about its mechanism. In the present study, we tested the effects of curcumin in focal cerebral ischemia in rats and the possible mechanisms. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with curcumin (100, 300 and 500 mg/kg) administered intraperitoneally after 60 min of occlusion (beginning of reperfusion). Neurological score and infarct volume were assessed at 24 and 72 h. Oxidative stress was evaluated by malondialdehyde assay and the apoptotic mechanisms were studied by Western blotting. Curcumin treatment significantly reduced infarct volume and improved neurological scores at different time points compared with the vehicle-treated group. Curcumin treatment decreased malondialdehyde levels, cytochrome c, and cleaved caspase 3 expression and increased mitochondrial Bcl-2 expression. Inhibition of oxidative stress with curcumin treatment improves outcomes after focal cerebral ischemia. This neuroprotective effect is likely exerted by antiapoptotic mechanisms. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/curcumin-improves-outcomes-and-attenuates-focal-cerebral-ischemic-injury#comments Cerebral Ischemia Curcumin Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion (MCAO) Oxidative Stress Stroke: Recovery Anti-Apoptotic Antioxidants Neuroprotective Agents Animal Study Fri, 11 Feb 2011 14:09:01 +0000 greenmedinfo 61274 at https://greenmedinfo.com Dietary supplementation with antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids is likely to reduce mortality in poststroke patients. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/dietary-supplementation-antioxidants-and-omega-3-fatty-acids-likely-reduce-mor PMID:  Cerebrovasc Dis. 2009;27(4):375-83. Epub 2009 Mar 10. PMID: 19276620 Abstract Title:  Is antioxidant and n-3 supplementation able to improve functional status in poststroke patients? Results from the Nutristroke Trial. Abstract:  BACKGROUND: To test whether supplementary antioxidants and n-3 fatty acids, alone or in combination, could improve functional status in stroke survivors. METHODS: We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in 72 stroke patients (47 males; age 65.3 +/- 12.9 years) admitted to a rehabilitation hospital for sequelae of first-ever ischemic stroke, and divided them into 4 subgroups. Group 1 patients received daily oral antioxidants, group 2 received n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, group 3 both supplements, and group 4 placebo, all for 12 months. No difference at baseline was observed among groups in neurological severity or in disability. All measures were repeated after 6 and 12 months of treatment. All major clinical events were recorded. RESULTS: At baseline, 25% of the patients had a low plasma vitamin status, and 48.5% was at risk of undernutrition. At the 1-year follow-up, we observed a trend for lower mortality (p = 0.060) in subgroups treated with n-3 fatty acids, but without significant differences in rehabilitation result status among groups. CONCLUSIONS: Malnutrition is widely observed in patients admitted to a rehabilitative hospital for stroke rehabilitation, and dietary supplementation, even if not able to improve rehabilitation results, is likely to reduce mortality at the 1-year follow-up. Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/dietary-supplementation-antioxidants-and-omega-3-fatty-acids-likely-reduce-mor#comments Antioxidant formulas Cerebral Stroke Omega-3 Fatty Acids Stroke: Recovery Human Study Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:45:59 +0000 greenmedinfo 45653 at https://greenmedinfo.com Electoacupuncture and strength training treatment reduces muscle spasticity and may improve motor function for chronic stroke survivors with moderate or severe muscle spasticity. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/electoacupuncture-and-strength-training-treatment-reduces-muscle-spasticity-an PMID:  Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2005 Jun;26(6):673-8. PMID: 18712644 Abstract Title:  Electroacupuncture may help motor recovery in chronic stroke survivors: a pilot study. Abstract:  Past studies have suggested that acupuncture may reduce spasticity in stroke survivors. We do not know, however, whether acupuncture may enhance the effect of strength training on motor function. This study compared upper-limb motor functional improvement in chronic stroke survivors who received a combination of acupuncture and strength training with that of subjects who received strength training alone. A total of 10 chronic stroke patients with moderate or severe wrist muscle spasticity were recruited for this study. The study used a crossover design with a random order of either combined electroacupuncture and strength training or strength training alone. Each subject received one of the two types of treatment twice a week for the first 6 weeks and switched to the other for another 6 weeks. Quantitative measurements of wrist spasticity, active wrist extension range of motion, isometric wrist strength, and clinical evaluation with Fugl-Meyer (FM) upper-limb motor scores were conducted before and after either treatment. After the combined treatment, the quantitative spasticity level, active wrist extension range of motion (increased by a mean of 16.3 degrees), and FM upper-limb motor score (increased by a mean of 4.9 points) changed significantly (p https://greenmedinfo.com/article/electoacupuncture-and-strength-training-treatment-reduces-muscle-spasticity-an#comments Muscle Spasticity Stroke: Recovery Electroacupuncture Exercise Human Study Wed, 27 Jan 2010 03:13:26 +0000 greenmedinfo 50164 at https://greenmedinfo.com Exercise induces mitochondrial biogenesis after brain ischemia in rats. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/exercise-induces-mitochondrial-biogenesis-after-brain-ischemia-rats PMID:  Neuroscience. 2012 Jan 8. Epub 2012 Jan 8. PMID: 22266265 Abstract Title:  Exercise induces mitochondrial biogenesis after brain ischemia in rats. Abstract:  Stroke is a major cause of death worldwide. Previous studies have suggested both exercise and mitochondrial biogenesis contribute to improved post-ischemic recovery of brain function. However, the exact mechanism underlying this effect is unclear. On the other hand, the benefit of exercise-induced mitochondrial biogenesis in brain has been confirmed. In this study, we attempted to determine whether treadmill exercise induces functional improvement through regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis after brain ischemia. We subjected adult male rats to ischemia, followed by either treadmill exercise or non-exercise and analyzed the effect of exercise on the amount of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), expression of mitochondrial biogenesis factors, and mitochondrial protein. In the ischemia-exercise group, only peroxisome proliferator activated receptor coactivator-1 (PGC-1) expression was increased significantly after 3 days of treadmill training. However, after 7 days of training, the levels of mtDNA, nuclear respiratory factor 1, NRF-1, mitochondrial transcription factor A, TFAM, and the mitochondrial protein cytochrome C oxidase subunit IV (COXIV) and heat shock protein-60 (HSP60) also increased above levels observed in non-exercised ischemic animals. These changes followed with significant changes in behavioral scores and cerebral infarct volume. The results indicate that exercise can promote mitochondrial biogenesis after ischemic injury, which may serve as a novel component of exercise-induced repair mechanisms of the brain. Understanding the molecular basis for exercise-induced neuroprotection may be beneficial in the development of therapeutic approaches for brain recovery from the ischemic injury. Based upon our findings, stimulation or enhancement of mitochondrial biogenesis may prove a novel neuroprotective strategy in the future. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/exercise-induces-mitochondrial-biogenesis-after-brain-ischemia-rats#comments Brain Ischemia Stroke: Ischemic Stroke: Recovery Exercise Mitochondrial Biogenesis Animal Study Sat, 28 Jan 2012 21:10:22 +0000 greenmedinfo 70957 at https://greenmedinfo.com Pomegranates Help Stroke Recovery https://greenmedinfo.com/blog/pomegranates-help-you-recover-stroke <div class="copyright">This article is copyrighted by GreenMedInfo LLC, 2018<br/><strong><a href="/greenmedinfocom-re-post-guidelines">Visit our Re-post guidelines</a></strong></div><p class="rtecenter"><img alt="" src="//cdn.greenmedinfo.com/sites/default/files/ckeditor/blank.justin/images/PomegranatesHelpYouRecoverFromStroke.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 315px;" /></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px;"><span style="font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;"><strong><em>Everyone wants to stave-off the cognitive decline that is routinely experienced as we age. What if that decline wasn’t inevitable? As a recent study shows, there is a simple, inexpensive food that not only supports cognitive functions as we age, it can help restore brain function impaired during stroke</em></strong></span></span></p><p><a href="https://greenmedinfo.com/blog/pomegranates-help-you-recover-stroke" target="_blank">read more</a></p> https://greenmedinfo.com/blog/pomegranates-help-you-recover-stroke#comments Antioxidant formulas Culinary Herbs and Spices Fruit: All Neurodegenerative Diseases Polyphenols Pomegranate Stroke Stroke: Attenuation/Recovery Stroke: Recovery Vegetables: All Health Guide: Herbs and Traditional Knowledge Health Guides: Healing Foods healing food natural health pomegranate Thu, 10 May 2018 19:56:07 +0000 GMI reporter 164026 at https://greenmedinfo.com Resveratrol has a therapeutic effect during acute periods following experimental ischemic stroke. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/resveratrol-has-therapeutic-effect-during-acute-periods-following-experimental PMID:  J Infect Dis. 1997 Oct;176(4):1072-5. PMID: 20655115 Abstract Title:  Therapeutic effects of resveratrol during acute periods following experimental ischemic stroke. Abstract:  We defined whether resveratrol administration during the acute phase of ischemic stroke reduces brain injury in mice. Infarct volumes were decreased significantly in both sexes with different doses of resveratrol (5mg/kg for males and 1mg/kg for females) administered 3h after ischemic stroke. Administration of resveratrol 6h after insult was also effective to decrease infarct volumes. Resveratrol suppressed expressions of IL-1β and TNF-α, microglial activation, and ROS production in the ischemic cortex. The findings suggest that the suppression of inflammation is partly associated with the neuroprotective effects of resveratrol, and resveratrol can be developed as a therapeutic drug for acute ischemic stroke. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/resveratrol-has-therapeutic-effect-during-acute-periods-following-experimental#comments Brain Ischemia Resveratrol Stroke: Recovery Neuroprotective Agents Stilbenes Animal Study Fri, 11 Mar 2011 16:34:18 +0000 greenmedinfo 62578 at https://greenmedinfo.com Short-form Tai Chi improves standing balance of people with chronic stroke. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/short-form-tai-chi-improves-standing-balance-people-chronic-stroke PMID:  Neurorehabil Neural Repair. 2009 Jun;23(5):515-22. Epub 2009 Jan 7. PMID: 19129308 Abstract Title:  Short-form Tai Chi improves standing balance of people with chronic stroke. Abstract:  BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Our previous findings showed that 4 weeks of intensive Tai Chi practice improved standing balance in healthy seniors. This study set out to investigate whether Tai Chi could improve standing balance in subjects with chronic stroke. METHODS: One hundred thirty-six subjects&gt;6 months after stroke were randomly assigned to a control group (n = 62) practicing general exercises or a Tai Chi group (n = 74) for 12 weeks of training. Each week, 1 hour of group practice was supplemented by 3 hours of self-practice. We used a short-form of Tai Chi consisting of 12 forms that require whole-body movements to be performed in a continuous sequence and demands concentration. A blinded assessor examined subjects at baseline, 6 weeks (mid-program), 12 weeks (end-program), and 18 weeks (follow-up). The 3 outcome measures were (1) dynamic standing balance evaluated by the center of gravity (COG) excursion during self-initiated body leaning in 4 directions, (2) standing equilibrium evaluated in sensory challenged conditions, and (3) functional mobility assessed by Timed-up-and-go score. Mixed model repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to examine between-group differences. RESULTS: When compared with the controls, the Tai Chi group showed greater COG excursion amplitude in leaning forward, backward, and toward the affected and nonaffected sides (P https://greenmedinfo.com/article/short-form-tai-chi-improves-standing-balance-people-chronic-stroke#comments Stroke: Recovery Tai Chi Human Study Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:36:01 +0000 greenmedinfo 49183 at https://greenmedinfo.com Sulforaphane reduces infarct volume following focal cerebral ischemia in rodents. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/sulforaphane-reduces-infarct-volume-following-focal-cerebral-ischemia-rodents PMID:  Neurosci Lett. 2006 Jan 30;393(2-3):108-12. Epub 2005 Oct 17. PMID: 16233958 Abstract Title:  Sulforaphane reduces infarct volume following focal cerebral ischemia in rodents. Abstract:  Stroke is the third leading cause of death and disability in the United States. As several biochemical mechanisms have been proposed to contribute to stroke pathophysiology, treatments acting on multiple targets may be desirable. Sulforaphane (SUL), a naturally occurring isothiocyanate present in cruciferous vegetables, has been shown to induce the expression of multiple NF-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) responsive genes. In the present study, we demonstrate that systemically administered SUL can enter the brain as determined by increased mRNA and protein levels of the Nrf2-responsive gene heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1). Delayed administration (15 min) of a single dose of SUL significantly decreased cerebral infarct volume following focal ischemia, suggesting a potential therapeutic value for this compound. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/sulforaphane-reduces-infarct-volume-following-focal-cerebral-ischemia-rodents#comments Cerebral Ischemia Stroke: Recovery Sulforaphane Neuroprotective Agents Animal Study Wed, 27 Oct 2010 02:41:51 +0000 greenmedinfo 58115 at https://greenmedinfo.com These results suggest the possible use P. dactylifera against bilateral common carotid artery occlusion induced oxidative stress and neuronal damage. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/these-results-suggest-possible-use-p-dactylifera-against-bilateral-common-caro PMID:  Indian J Exp Biol. 2011 Aug ;49(8):627-33. PMID: 21870431 Abstract Title:  Evaluation of antioxidant and neuroprotective effect of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) against bilateral common carotid artery occlusion in rats. Abstract:  The cerebral ischemia in rats was induced by occluding bilateral common carotid arteries (BCCAO) for 30 min., followed by 45 min reperfusion. BCCAO caused significant depletion in superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione reductase and significant increase in lipid peroxidation along with severe neuronal damage in the brain. All the alterations except depletion in glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-S-transferase levels induced by cerebral ischemia were significantly attenuated by 15 days pretreatment with methanolic extract of P. dactylifera fruits (100, 300 mg/kg), whereas 30 mg/kg dose was insignificant in this regard. These results suggest the possible use P. dactylifera against bilateral common carotid artery occlusion induced oxidative stress and neuronal damage. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/these-results-suggest-possible-use-p-dactylifera-against-bilateral-common-caro#comments Brain Damage Brain Ischemia Carotid Artery Narrowing Carotid Stenosis Cerebral Stroke Dates Oxidative Stress Stroke: Recovery Antioxidants Neuroprotective Agents Neurorestorative Plant Extracts Animal Study Mon, 01 Jun 2015 18:37:34 +0000 greenmedinfo 117940 at https://greenmedinfo.com